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PrizrenCulture & history

Our most recommended Prizren Culture & history

From Tirana: Prizren Guided Tour

1. From Tirana: Prizren Guided Tour

Discover Prizren, considered to be the cultural capital of Kosovo, on a guided tour from Tirana. Explore an authentic and little-known treasure hidden in the heart of the Balkan Peninsula. After pickup, travel for 2 hours and meet a local guide for a walking tour of the city entering the Sinan Pasha Mosque, The Church of Our Lady of Ljevis (UNESCO), The Museum of Prizren League, and the Ottoman Old Town known for its gold and silver filigree craftsmen. Later, enjoy free time for lunch and wandering through the streets as you pass by elegant medieval houses and a castle for amazing views from above. Return to Tirana in the late afternoon.

Mini Tour: Kosovo & N. Macedonia from Tirana | 4 Days

2. Mini Tour: Kosovo & N. Macedonia from Tirana | 4 Days

Day 1: Sightseeing tour of Prizren & Prishtina We travel towards Prizren in the morning. Prizren, considered to be the cultural capital of Kosovo, this charming, vivacious town with mountains all around is a real treasure hidden in the heart of the Balkan Peninsula. We arrive in Prizren in about 2 hours and meet our local guide for a walking tour of the city entering the Sinan Pasha Mosque, The Church of Our Lady of Ljevis (Unesco), The Museum of Prizren League and the Ottoman Old Town known for its gold and silver filigree craftsmen. Enjoy free time for lunch in Prizren and leave the town for the capital of Kosovo, Prishtina. In the afternoon, have a walking tour of Prishtina to discover the city with its many mosques, cathedrals and markets. Day 2: Matka Canyon & Sightseeing Tour of Skopje This morning we head towards North Macedonia with our first stop at Matka Canyon known for its butterfly colonies. Here we embark on a private boat ride for a short exploration of the Vrelo Cave, one the deepest in the world, before enjoying free time for lunch with a great view. With a short drive we arrive in Skopje the capital of North Macedonia Have a walking tour of Skopje discovering the city with its highlight like Mother Teresa Memorial House, opened in 2009 to pay tribute to the life of the celebrated humanitarian, the old railway station and the Stone Bridge, which dates back to 1451. Enjoy a relaxing evening in Skopje. Day 3: Sightseeing tour of Ohrid (Unesco) Reach and take in all that the Unesco–recognized charming city of Ohrid has to offer on a guided tour with a local guide. Pass by the glorious Church of Saint Sophia and the National Workshop for a handmade paper-making demonstration. Enter Samuil’s Fortress and walk along its historic 4th-centrury walls. Discover the Ancient Theatre of Ohrid, built in the Hellenistic style. Walk up to the cliff-top Church of Saint John at Kaneo for panoramic views of the lake and surrounding mountains. Day 4: Tirana via Saint Naum Monastery & Bay of Bones On our way to Tirana, visit the Bay of Bones Museum, a prehistoric settlement located on Lake Ohrid. A one of a kind in the region, it is an authentic reconstruction of a part of the pile-dwelling settlement, dating back between 1200 and 700 Bc. Then, continue exploring the medieval Monastery of Saint Naum. See the resident peacocks that roam the grounds Enter the monastery to view its intricate frescoes We drive towards the border of Albania to Pogradec, where you have free time to enjoy lunch on the shores of Lake Ohrid. Travel to Tirana in the late afternoon. (Hotel accommodation in Tirana is not included on tour)

From Sofia: Kosovo and North Macedonia 2-Day Tour

3. From Sofia: Kosovo and North Macedonia 2-Day Tour

Start with a pickup from your hotel or accommodation in Sofia at 8:00 AM. Travel for approximately 3.5 hours to the first destination of the two-day excursion, the city of Skopje, which is the capital of North Macedonia. During the drive, learn the political history of the region.  Upon arrival in Skopje, enjoy a 2-hour city tour with a Macedonian guide. Explore both the old and the new parts of the city, seeing its major landmarks. After the walking tour, enjoy some free time (discuss this with your guide) during which you will have the chance to rest and taste the local cuisine. Afterward, continue the journey to Pristina, the capital of Kosovo, which will take approximately 2 hours. When you reach Pristina enjoy some free time to explore the highlights of the city after which you will travel to the cultural capital of the country, Prizen. Stay overnight in a wonderful hotel in the heart of the city.  On the second day, have breakfast in the hotel followed by a walking tour of Prizen at 8:30 AM. Explore the narrow cobblestone streets and authentic Ottoman buildings. Visit Mehmet Pasha Hamam, the 15th-century stone bridge and the fortress situated high above the city. From here, get a fantastic view of the whole city. This is the last site that we will visit in Prizren. Then we will go back to Skopje (which will take approx. 2.5 hours drive) where we will have some time to relax and have lunch. At 15:00 we will head back to Sofia, where you will be dropped off at the location you want.

From Tirana: Full Day Guided Walking Tour to Prizren

4. From Tirana: Full Day Guided Walking Tour to Prizren

Start your day with a pickup from your hotel at 8:00 AM. After meeting your guide, begin your relaxing drive to the Kosovo border. Travel to the picturesque region on the peninsula and admire the beauty of the rural areas. Prizren, the capital of Kosovo is considered the most charming and colorful town in the region. On arrival in Prizren, begin your visit with the castle of the city, located on a hilltop. The castle is known as ‘the Prizren Crown’ as it lies on a dominant hill like a crown and oversees the city. Discover the fascinating history while you take in glorious panoramic views over the city. A must-see attraction is the Sinan Pasha mosque that stands as a central landmark of Prizren. Take a leisurely walk and then continue with your visit to the Ethnographic Museum, a monument of culture from the 18th century. Enjoy another highlight when you visit the St, Ljevis Cathedral, a historic church from the 14th century. Recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Site it is one of many important medieval monuments of Kosovo. Stroll through the streets of the city and relish your free time for eating and shopping before returning to Tirana.

From Tirana: Valbona Park with Ferry Ride and Prizren City

5. From Tirana: Valbona Park with Ferry Ride and Prizren City

Day 1 : At six o'clock the guide will come and pick you up at the hotel. Then we start the journey to Valbona. We arrive at Komani Lake where we will travel by ferry for about 2.5 hours. During the trip we will have the opportunity to see the Komani Lake surrounded by high mountains and greenery. The nature is amazing! The journey continues towards the town of Bajram Curri. There we will take a walk on the main boulevard and have a coffee / tea. We continue the trip to Valbona National Park. Along the way we are accompanied by the river Valbona where we can stop bathing (Optional). The next stop is at the water mill, where you will learn how water mills work. Overnight in Valbona (Guesthouse). Accommodation is included in the package. Day 2 : After breakfast we will explore the Valbona Valley by 4x4 car/ Van for 30 minutes. Then we will hike to Valbona waterfall, a waterfall with fantastic nature. The hike is easy level, through the beech forest. After visiting the waterfall, we continue walking for about an hour to a point where the Valbona valley is viewed from above. Xhema’s Lake is a spring-fed who creates a magic blue lake in the springtime. During summer, especially in August, it gets dried, losing the magic and being transformed mostly in a puddle. Anyway, the walk to this place is a nice experience exploring the surroundings in every season. On the way back to Tirana, we will pass through Kosovo and will definitely stop at Prizren city.Prizren is one of the oldest settlements in Kosovo and the western Balkans. Archaeological excavations in Prizren Fortress indicate that its fortress area has seen habitation and use since the Bronze Age

Kosovo from Albania: Day tour of Prizren & Prishtina(option)

6. Kosovo from Albania: Day tour of Prizren & Prishtina(option)

The youngest European nation of Kosovo is more than the birthplace of the pop sensations Rita Ora and Dua Lipa. In the past two decades it has also grown to be recognized for a palpable buzz of life that permeates its ever-growing and ever-changing atmosphere. In this full-day guided tour you will have the opportunity to discover the historically significant town of Prizren, and the energetic capital city of Kosovo, Prishtina. We will travel from Tirana, Albania along the newly built highway that connects Albania with Kosovo. What once took almost a whole day to drive through, now in just three hours offers vivid mountainous scenery worth videocapturing. We will depart from your Tirana hotel in the morning with an air-conditioned vehicle, and head towards northeast Albania.  We will offer you a quick coffee by the artificial Kukës Lake to take in its tranquility and the legend of its formation during Albania's dark communist period. Initially upon crossing the border, we will head to Kosovo's best attraction - the unique town of Prizren with its curvy cobblestone paths - only twenty minutes drive from the Albanian-Kosovo border.   A well-preserved reminder of the Ottoman times, the multi-ethnic and multilingual Prizren is situated at the foot of its fortress, adorned with artisan shops along the Lumbardhi river that runs through the heart of this iconic city. In late summer Prizren is home to DokuFest - one of the top 25 documentary film festivals in the world. Yet, each season you may visit, Prizren's main square is full of life. First there will be a brief visit to the reconstructed Albanian Prizren League - the poignant historic site sadly destroyed during the Kosovo war. As we walk by the riverbed, we will sight-see and explore the Old Town, tasting the local 'byrek' offered again by our guide and drinking fresh water from the çesma - water fountain, a necessary ritual if you want to return again in Prizren.  Rich in places of worship, Prizren is an example of religious diversity and has a mosque built by the famous Ottoman architect Sinani. We'll visit the Sinan Pasha Mosque, and the Serbian "Sveti Spas" Orthodox Church. Depending on the customers desire and physical ability, there's the option to go up the fortress that oversees the city, prior to heading to the capital city of Prishtina - a kaleidoscope of sights, sounds and smells and home to many cultural landmarks. Walking Prishtina's main boulevard you'll experience the perpetual motion that Prishtina is, along with its modern cafes and restaurants. We will visit what's considered one of the 'most beautiful ugly buildings' worldwide: The National Library of Kosovo - an example of 'brutal architecture', the renowned NewBorn sculpture that changes with each independence anniversary, and walk by to the socialist built Boro Ramiz Palace of Sports. In the late afternoon we will head back to the Albanian border, and you will be dropped off in the hotel you were picked up from.

From Tirana: Prizren Private Full-Day Trip

7. From Tirana: Prizren Private Full-Day Trip

Discover Prizren on a full-day trip from Tirana. Take a walking tour of the city's fortress, admire the Sinan Pasha Mosque, learn some political history at the House of the League of Prizren, and see the UNESCO-protected Church of Our Lady of Ljeviš. Get picked up by your guide and driver at your hotel. Head towards the Morina border and along the way, spot the differences in rural life in Albania. Still vivid are the footprints of the Communist regime and the former industrial cities build during that period. Arrive in Prizren and visit the first attraction, the fortress of Prizren. From the fortress see picturesque views of the city. Be charmed by the numerous mosques and minarets fused with the churches, houses, and Turkish baths creating a unique city skyline. Make your way to Sinan Pasha Mosque. Still functional even today, let this mosque amaze you with its elegant decor and interesting shape. Appreciate its restoration and preservation as one of the most important religious and cultural places in Prizren. From culture to politics, go to the House of League, an important meeting place of Albanian patriots in the 19th century. Then go to the ethnographic museum and learn about the traditional local life of Kosovo. Your last stop in Prizren is the Church of Our Lady of Ljeviš. Currently closed for renovation, this 14th-century church has a diverse history serving as both a church and mosque. Be impressed by its distinct architecture from the outside. During the day, have free time for lunch and shopping before returning to Tirana.

Prizren walking tour

8. Prizren walking tour

Explore the city that speaks five languages, a place where church bells ring and the call to prayer is heard at the same time. A place where you can enjoy eating a variety of flavors from the East and the West. - We will visit the Sinan Pasha Mosque, a unique sacred building, decorated in the Baroque style of art - The Old Stone Bridge, one of the landmarks of Prizren, to take pictures of Prizren from the most famous location for taking pictures. - Church of the Holy Saviour Prizren, built in14th century, church of modest dimensions in a first sight, in terms of architectonic volumes, both from the interior and exterior sides, the monument is known for its highly artistic and constructive values. - Helveti Teke (a dervish cloister), Sufi shrine, a 350-year-old tariqah in the center of Prizren. - Helping Lady catholic albanian church in Prizren. (When the father of Mother Theresa got baptized on 19th century). - Gazi Mehmet Pasha Hammam – Turkish baths were built in 1573 by Gazi Mehmet Pasha at the same time as the mosque nearby. The baths consisted of separate male and female areas. - The League of Prizren complex, an association of Albanian intellectuals founded in 1878 in today's Kosovar Prizren, with the aim of preventing the division of areas inhabited by Albanians through political and military pressure. - Gazi Mehmet Pasha or Bajrakli Mosque. This dates from 1566 and is possibly the most beautiful mosque in Prizren (on a par with Gjakova’s Hadum Mosque) with ornate woodwork and detailed blue-and-white paintings. Prizren fortress Kosovo - Prizren Fortress (Kalaja e Prizrenit) began in the Late Bronze age and the fortress was built around 1500 years ago. The fortress has massive walls and various residential quarters belonging to later stages such as the Middle Ages and Ottoman times. It's well worth making the steep 15-minute hike up from Prizren's old town. After the successful completion of our city tour, we will escort you to your destination or the place where you are staying.

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What people are saying about Prizren

I enjoyed my day. Mimi is an excellent guide. He knows a lot of interesting information. He speaks English very well and is very friendly. He is a very careful and responsible driver. It was a unique opportunity to visit Kosovo - a country that I never expected to visit. I would recommend this activity and I also would highly recommend Mimi

A great way to see a glimpse of Kosovo. We chose this trip as the drive to the capital Pristina was a lot further and online reviews suggested that Prizren was a much a better alternative. It is a very pretty town with a lovely old part. The walk up to the castle is rewarded with stunning views. Highly recommend this trip.

Excellent Lence was extremely knowledgeable about Skopje and really nice! The Kosovo tour guide was great he knows all the best stuff to see and is really great about adjusting the schedule based on what you want to do!

Everything is great. Jetmir, our guide, was very kind and attentive, very good conversation and knowledge of the places. Prizren is very very beautiful. I fully recommend it.

The length of the journey was offset by Gert's company - an inexhaustible source of information on Albanian history - and the beauty of Prizren.